In an effort to make lines and lines of intimidating code less scary, students, teachers and industry leaders hosted a fair at Conard High School to explain the benefits of exploring computer science classes before graduating.

The goal, according to computer science teacher Jackie Corricelli, is for students to see the importance of a computer science education as technology advances. On Wednesday, about 1,600 students walked among posters set up by students. Corricelli said she hopes Conard’s fair can be a model for other schools.

“If we have students talking to other students about ‘What is computer science?’ my hope is that they won’t have fear in signing up for the course, that they’ll see themselves in the course and want to take a course,” Corricelli said. “If they’re taking a high school course, they’re braver than me.”

Among the posters and booths set up in a classroom at the back of the school, students talked about their hands-on learning through tech classes and clubs at Conard — including Conard’s chapter of the Technology Student Association; Girls STEMming Up; and Bits and Bytes, a mentorship partnership with Smith STEM School fourth-graders. About 14 students have taken part in the mentorship program this year.

“The idea is to communicate effectively with kids and getting them into computer science, open the door before it’s any more intimidating,” senior Eleanor Duva said.

Senior Jackson O’Sullivan is part of the school’s astronomy computer science engineering club and helped build an arcade machine. O’Sullivan wants to turn what he learns at Conard and after he graduates into a career as a video game designer.

I feel it's my duty to clear that pathway for young women, and anyone really, to take computer science.— Jackie Corricelli, Conard High School teacher

Corricelli has advocated that graduation requirements should include computer science classes.

Conard alum Jonathan Pinney, Class of 2002, said the course options at the high school have expanded in the past 15 years. He writes code for the company Duck Creek Technologies.

“I wish I had someone to steer me in this direction,” Pinney said. “I went into a different area and wasted a few years. … I hope someone sees me and says ‘I can do it.’ ”

Sophomore Emily Kyle is currently enrolled in the AP computer science class and in four months, said she’s learned a lot and is currently writing code. Kyle, senior Jackie Gilmartin and junior Misa Uvalic said they are part of a small group of young women enrolled in the computer science program.

“We have a place in this environment as well,” Uvalic said, noting that computer science companies are mainly male dominated.

“I feel it’s my duty to clear that pathway for young women, and anyone really, to take computer science,” Corricelli said. “It’s the tool of the future.”